Breaking Away

Abstract

This book has been written by two co-authors, Liria Hernández and Paloma Gay y Blasco. We use two different fonts in order to make visible each of our voices. When Liria eloped from her family, she challenged many of their conventions regarding acceptable female behaviour. Paloma’s decision to help Liria also betrayed the trust of Liria’s family. In this chapter, they recount their memories of the escape through two autobiographical narratives. They also describe how the elopement made them reconsider their relationship, as anthropologist and informant and as friends. They provide an account of transgression that foregrounds the ambiguity of human experience, encouraging readers to reflect on the complex roles that anthropologists and informants play in each others’ lives.